


Two Partridges, One Pear Tree

by Dresupi



Series: Shieldshock Fics [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: DLSS 2016, Darcyland Secret Santa 2016, Double Dating, F/M, First Dates, Fluff, Gift Fic, Holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 19:14:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8857540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dresupi/pseuds/Dresupi
Summary: Featuring Jane and Darcy’s Holiday traditions, which up until this year, did NOT include a double date with super soldiers.  But traditions are totally made to be broken, yes?  My Darcyland Secret Santa gift for Artemis_Day





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Artemis_Day](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_Day/gifts).



**Jane**

“Please, Jane?”  Darcy pleaded, poking out her bottom lip and giving her the biggest set of puppy-dog eyes she could muster.  “Pwetty pwease, Janey-Waney?”  

Jane sighed, rolling her eyes before shooting her a look so pointed that it wouldn’t take an advanced degree to figure out the meaning behind her death stare and thin lipped grimace.  “If it will stop you from embarrassing yourself further with baby-talk, then by all means, bring Steve along to our very personal, very girly, very bff holiday extravaganza,” she acquiesced.  “But don’t think I’m letting you off the hook for ruining one of our girls’ nights.”  

Darcy smirked, folding her arms across her chest.  “But, Jane…I thought our girls’ nights were a waste of time?  I thought themed nights out on the quarterly were cliche and gauche and…and…what else did you say?”  

“Redundant.”  

“Yep, that’s the one.”  Her assistant grinned and reached over to playfully push her arm.  “But you don’t think that at all, do you?  You like them.  You like bad movies and various fruit-flavored frozen margaritas.  You LIKE our very personal, very girly, very bff holiday extravaganzas, don’t you?”

“Yep, you’ve got me all figured out,” Jane blew a raspberry in Darcy’s direction and abruptly turned back to her laptop screen.  “Now…let me finish this, or it’s all I’ll be thinking about tonight.  You know, instead of concentrating on finishing my many, many cocktails.”  

“It’s winter, so it’s Jack Frost Cocktails, Janey.”

“I  _ know _ ,” Jane said with a grin.  “They’re my favorite, and I’d rather not be contemplating complex math equations while I’m trying to enjoy them.”    

Darcy puttered off, back to her own desk to work on the multitudes of things she worked on daily.  Jane had tried to watch her work once.  It gave her whiplash.  So, Darcy’s agenda was better left unknown.    

Jane had to admit, she was a little disappointed that Darcy wanted to bring Steve to their Winter Holiday Bash that evening.  Even though she groused, Darcy was right.  Jane really did enjoy their little get-togethers.  It was nice having something fun to look forward to after weeks and weeks of work.  Because no matter how much she loved her work (And she did.  She really LOVED her work), Rewards were a nice little way to break up the monotony.  And Darcy’s quarterly Holiday girls’ nights were quite a nice reward.  Galentine’s Day in Februrary,  Summer Gal-stice in June, Gal-o-ween on Halloween, and finally their very open, very secular, Winter Gal-iday Night.  Secular because, well…Darcy was Jewish, and Jane was an agnostic who still celebrated the general idea of Christmas because of tradition, so they didn’t celebrate their respective holidays together.  

Winter Gal-iday Night was something they made up so they purposefully wouldn’t take part in the cultural milieu of the month of December, but instead, they sort of…gorged themselves. On cookies, candy and Darcy’s famous bourbon balls.  With shots of bourbon on the side, for good measure.  And there were the Jack Frost Cocktails too.  Which had Jane’s mouth watering already.  She was pretty sure it was just a pina colada with blue curacao, but Darcy was an excellent bartender and Jane was looking forward to drinking herself silly.       

Winter Gal-iday Night fell on December 23 this year.  Because according to Darcy, WGN always falls on the Friday before both Christmas and Hanukkah. Never during Hanukkah, and never after Christmas.  

It was kind of  _ their _ thing.  And now Darcy was bringing Steve Rogers along.  

Jane sighed again.  She supposed this was bound to happen at some point.  It was surprising with the sheer number of eligible men living with them in Stark Tower that it hadn’t happened before.  Her little intern-turned-research assistant was growing up.  

Growing up and asking out Captain America.

Darcy’s phone chimed on her desk at some point in the afternoon.  The only reason Jane noticed was that no sooner had her assistant read the message than she was rolling her desk chair over to Jane’s work station.  “Steve wants to bring Bucky.”  

Jane shrugged.  “Okay?  The more the merrier?”  

Darcy’s eyebrows shot up.  “Oh really?  I’ll tell him you said that.”  

Jane frowned.  “What?  Why?  Why do you have that look?  Darcy.  DARCY.”  

Darcy giggled and scooted out of Jane’s grasp as she typed up the text, reading it aloud as she did.  “Jane says, ‘The more the merrier,’ so I think it’s safe to say it’s a  _ double _ date!”    

Jane set her jaw as she watched her press send.  “I cannot believe you did that.  This whole thing was a set up, wasn’t it?”  

Darcy shrugged.  “Not the whole thing.  I absolutely want to get to know Steve in a more than friendly way.  But I think you absolutely want to get to know Bucky in a more-than-friendly way as well…so, you know.  Two birds.  One stone?  Besides, Jane.  You’ve been kind of goo-goo-eyed over Bucky for a while now.  You really need to learn how to take the plunge, Babe.  I want you to be happy.  So please don’t be mad at me for the birds. They’re such pretty… _ muscular _ birds.  Partridges, if you will.  Two partridges, one pear tree? ”  

"Okay, STOP.  Enough," Jane laughed. She knew she probably SHOULD be mad at Darcy.  But she couldn’t bring herself to be.  Not when her assistant was one-hundred percent correct in every single one of her deductions.  She  _ had _ been ‘goo-goo-eyed’ over Bucky.  And she  _ did _ need to take a plunge once in a while.  It was what had gotten her so far in her career.  She really needed to apply it to her personal life.    

* * *

 

**Darcy**

This couldn’t have worked out better.  Not in a million years.  Bucky and Jane were talking…TALKING.  Like two adults.  Like two adults on a date.  She was even pretty sure she saw Jane flirt.  Or attempt to.  Because, let’s face it.  The science-y types are not the best at flirting.  Lucky for Jane, neither were the enhanced former assassins, because everything seemed to be going swimmingly.  

And as far as her own evening?  

Well…

She grinned and took a sip of her drink, sloshing it in the glass before offering it to  _ her _ date.  Was it safe to call him that?  Steve Rogers?  Her date?  

He was smiling nonstop and letting her touch his arm and even touching her now and then.  She was going to go ahead and get ahead of herself.  This evening was magical, and that’s all there was to it.  She wasn’t sure why she’d let this go for so long without asking him out.  

Maybe she’d been waiting for him to do it.  But that was like waiting for paint to dry in the rain.  Frustratingly slow and/or probably impossible.

She’d been lecturing Jane on taking plunges.  She could stand to take some of her own advice.  She was glad this was happening.  For the both of them.  Because two hot science-ladies like them?  They needed — nay —  _ deserved _ to have some fun.  To further their personal lives.    

“You sure you don’t want some?” She tilted her glass towards Steve. 

He chuckled.  Laughed.  His eyes crinkled in the corners.  It was a good look.  A great look.   _ Memo to self:  Make Steve’s eyes crinkle more. _

“I can’t get drunk, so there isn’t much point.”  

“It  _ tastes _ good, Steve.  You can taste things, right?”  

He laughed some more, his cheeks reddened.  “But, it’s blue. Not just blue, it’s unnaturally blue.”  

“It’s  _ delicious _ .”  

Steve acquiesced, leaning forward to take what turned out to be the world’s messiest sip from her glass, resulting in two blue splotches on the front of his tan sweater and another bigger splotch on her kitchen floor.  

Darcy reached for him, setting her drink down on the counter before grabbing a towel from the handle of her stove.  She dabbed ineffectually at the stains, all while they both apologized profusely for what was honestly an accident.  

An accident caused by two of them being completely giggle-happy over being together.  Over their friends being together.  Over a lot of things, actually.  

Number one on Darcy’s list of the moment, though, was the way his muscles clenched when she dabbed at the stains.  Holy hot damn, this man was built.  He was well-built.  All-American-built.  Steve frickin’ Rogers.  

“It  _ was _ delicious,” he murmured, his voice was low enough for only her to hear.  And Darcy’s knees chose that exact second to buckle.  Steve’s arms wrapped around her waist and she dropped the towel she’d been clutching, switching instead to the front of his very soft, cable-knit sweater.  His lips pressed softly against hers, making her stomach swoop and her heart thud in her chest.  “You taste better, though…” 

Darcy grinned and swatted his chest playfully.  “Getting fresh with me, Captain?”  

“Darcy…I haven’t even begun to show you how fresh I can be.”  

* * *

 

**Jane**

“And…he just swooped in for the kiss,” Bucky said, taking his eyes off the adorable mess that was Steve and Darcy. He shook his head.  “It’s about damn time, he’s been gone on her for months.”

Jane had to smile.  They made a cute couple.  Steve and Darcy.  Darcy and Steve.  She took an awkward sip of her rapidly diminishing drink, trying the whole time not to cast her gaze over towards Bucky and failing miserably.  

His eyes caught hers briefly.  “You uh…you’re not still…gone over Thor, are you?”  

She scoffed.  Snorted.  Snoffed.  “NO.  Oh god, no.  Thor and I are ancient history.”  They were.  No feelings left.  Except a prevailing ‘what the hell was I thinking?’ that reared its ugly head from time to time.   

Bucky pursed his lips and nodded.  “That is very good to know.”  

Jane tilted her head in a vain attempt to appear beguiling.  “Is it?”  

“Yep, it is.”  

“Do you have reasons?  Back up your statement, Mr. Barnes,” Jane said boldly, taking yet another sip of her drink.  

He smiled, then.  Not for the first time that night, and hopefully not for the last. “Isn’t it obvious?  I’m interested, Doll.”  

“In me?”   

“No, in your mother,” he quipped sarcastically. “Of  _ course _ I’m interested in you.” 

“That is  _ very _ good to know…” Jane replied, winking coyly as she set her glass down on the table beside her, folding her arms across her middle.  Bucky reached over, gently taking one of her hands in his. 

“Back up  _ your _ statement, Dr. Foster…”  

Jane bit her bottom lip before throwing caution to the wind and just going for it.  Darcy was right.  She had never been bold enough.   _ That _ was her problem.  She never took what she wanted.  And dammit, she wanted Bucky.  She tugged him closer by the hand he had just clasped around hers.  He came willingly enough.  He was tall enough to rest his head on the top of hers, so Jane had to tilt her head up in order to slot her lips over his.  She reached up to tangle her other hand in his hair as she relished the feel of his stubble against her face.  Rough.  Abrasive.  Completely hot. 

His lips tasted like the bourbon he’d been nursing the whole evening and they moved in such a way that Jane could swear she was getting drunk off  _ him _ .  

She suddenly felt very aware that they were in Darcy’s living room.  That they’d recently been spying on Darcy and Steve from their perch on the sofa.  Jane grudgingly broke off the kiss to peer around Bucky’s shoulder, only to discover that the aforementioned couple were very preoccupied.  There was no way any spying was going on.  

All the same, Jane leaned back on the couch, lacing her fingers with Bucky’s.  He followed her, letting himself lean against the back of the sofa while his thumb traced tiny circles on the back of her hand.  “You tired of me already?” he teased.  

Jane smiled, pulling him over towards her once again.  “Not even close, Pal.”

* * *

 

**Darcy**

The guys left around one in the A.M, with Steve locking the door behind them as they ducked out into the dark hallway.  Darcy collapsed onto the couch beside Jane, lifting her feet up onto the coffee table.   

“So…” Darcy began,  reaching for the remote.  “You went for it, I see?”  

Jane grinned widely.  “I  _ did _ go for it.  And I’m very happy I did.  Thank you for inviting him.”  

“You seeing him tomorrow?” Darcy nudged Jane’s foot with her own.  Repeatedly.  “Are ya?  Are ya?”  

“YES, okay?  Even though it technically IS tomorrow already.  We’re going to have dinner.” 

“Nice.  Very nice, Janey.”  

“What about you? Are you seeing Steve?”  

“As a matter of fact, I am. It’s the first night of Hanukkah, but we’re going to do brunch beforehand…maybe watch a movie or something.”  

“What movie?”  

“You know, I’m not sure?  It’s not really important…” Darcy shook her head in mock confusion before winking and turning on the TV.  “SPEAKING OF MOVIES!”  

“No.  Darcy.  You can’t.  I’m tired.”  

“Jane.  It’s tradition.”  

“But you bucked tradition by inviting guys to Winter Gal-iday Night.”  

“Die Hard, Die Hard, Die Hard, Die Hard,” Darcy chanted.  “C’mon Jane.  You KNOW you want to.”  

Jane sighed heavily.  “FINE.  Just go start a pot of coffee if we’re staying up for this.”  Darcy pressed play gleefully and jumped up with more energy than she thought she still had in her.  “And Darcy?  I don’t mind if the guys infiltrate our Winter Gal-iday, but can we keep Galentine’s Day for us?”  

“Oh hells yeah.  Definitely.  Besides…Valentine’s is for lovers.  Galentine’s is more than that.  Galentine’s is for BFFs.”  

She watched Jane smile on the couch.  “I guess that’s what we are, aren’t we?  BFFs.”  

“Yep.  No way you’re getting rid of me now.  Or ever.  Even if you tried.”  

“No way I’d want to,” Jane answered.  And it made Darcy’s heart swell.  “Movie’s starting!”  

Darcy poured Jane a cup of black coffee and handed it to her, ripping the throw blanket off the back of the couch so they could cuddle under it.  She got her butt in the seat just in time to say with Jane in unison, “You don’t like flying, do you?”    


End file.
